Inner-city youth experience adventure in nature

The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii is hosting eight high school students from its Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future program for a summer work adventure on Maui and Hawaii Island. The LEAF internship gives inner- city youths the opportunity to spend extensive time in nature learning about conservation, science and green jobs. This is the second year the conservancy has hosted LEAF interns in Hawaii.

Two teams of interns from the Los Angeles area are working with the conservancy and its partners on Maui and the Big Island this month. On Maui, the interns split their time between weed removal at the conservancy's Waikamoi Preserve, taro loi restoration and snorkel fish surveys with the land trust organization Maui Cultural Lands, weed removal with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and bird surveys with the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project.

"Exposing youth from urban communities to nature and conservation careers helps them understand and value the environment," said Ulalia Woodside, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii. "Hosting LEAF interns augments our ongoing efforts to engage young people in experiences that connect them with our unique and irreplaceable natural and cultural resources."